[The Outskirts of the Netland Arena]
The world seemed to stand still as Techyon ignited his internal mana circuits. He didn't just run; he folded space. Covering two miles in a mere 0.1 nanoseconds, he moved so fast that the atoms in the air didn't even have time to vibrate into heat. To any observer, he was a ghost—a literal ripple in reality. Techyon knew that with the chaotic mana storm erupting from the arena, his own energy signature was effectively camouflaged. No sensor in the Northern Galaxy could pick him up amidst the solar flares of his sister and the gravitational blizzard of the Commander.
He reached the massive, reinforced perimeter of the battleground in a heartbeat. He was just meters away from the grand entrance, preparing a way to announce himself, when the reinforced titanium doors didn't just open—they exploded.
A massive, armored shape came hurtling through the air like a meteor, screaming with the sound of tearing metal. Techyon's Master Auto-Counter kicked in instinctively, causing him to tilt his head just inches to the left as the object whistled past him, smashing into a nearby frozen ridge with enough force to cause a localized earthquake.
Techyon blinked, looking at the crater. "Woah... what was that?" He walked toward the wreckage, seeing the dented, steaming armor of Captain Carod. "Hey, Mr... are you okay? That looked like it hurt."
Carod's sidekicks came sprinting out of the smoke, their faces masks of pure terror. "Captain! Captain Carod, are you alright?! Medical drones, get over here now!" They scrambled toward the crater, ignoring the hooded youth standing nearby.
From the swirling mist of the ruined doorway, a figure stepped out. The ground beneath her feet hissed and turned to liquid fire. Cynthia emerged, her crimson hair glowing like a living furnace, her eyes still locked on the crater where she had sent the Commander flying.
"I already told you, Carod," Cynthia said, her voice carrying across the clearing with the weight of an absolute monarch. "You will lose. Level 2, Level 10... it doesn't matter. My flame doesn't care about your math."
Carod groaned, his hydraulic systems hissing as he forced himself to sit up amidst the rubble. His visor was cracked, and his Blizzard Form had been completely extinguished, but his spirit remained unbroken. He looked up at her, coughing out a cloud of freezing vapor. "I lost today, Goddess... but I will win tomorrow. Attempt seventy-nine is already being calculated."
Techyon stood just a few feet away, his heart hammering against his ribs. He wasn't looking at the Commander anymore. He was staring at the girl in the doorway—the girl who looked so much like the sister he remembered, yet so much more powerful.
Techyon took a deep breath, his lungs burning with the freezing air of Netland. He opened his mouth, the name "Cynthia!" practically vibrating in his throat, ready to shatter the silence between them. But before the sound could escape, a sharp, piercing whistle cut through the air.
With a mechanical roar, a sleek, high-tech hover-bike—infused with fire-elemental cores—tore through the mist, skidding to a perfect halt beside the Goddess. Cynthia didn't look back; she simply swung her leg over the seat and pulled a jet-black helmet over her crimson hair.
"I'm heading out," she said coolly, her voice muffled by the visor. "Take care of yourself, Carod. Try not to break too many bones before our next round."
With a sudden burst of orange flame from the exhaust, she was gone, leaving nothing but a trail of melted ice and the faint scent of ozone. Techyon stood there, his hand still half-raised, completely frozen. The wind whipped his cyan coat, but he didn't feel the cold—he only felt the crushing weight of a missed opportunity.
That's the second time, Techyon thought, his heart sinking into his stomach. I was right there. Why can't I just tell her that I'm her little brother? Why does the world keep moving so fast?
"Who are you, young man?"
The mechanical, filtered voice of Captain Carod broke Techyon out of his trance. The Commander was being helped up by his sidekicks, his armor sparking with dying Blizzard energy.
Techyon blinked, shaking off the shock. "I... I'm Techyon."
Carod grunted, leaning heavily on his sidekicks as his hydraulic stabilizers hissed. "Okay. Thanks, Techyon, for asking if I was alright. Most people just stare or run away when the 'Goddess' starts throwing suns. But believe me," he said, his visor flashing with a stubborn purple light, "next time, I will definitely defeat her."
Techyon looked at the crater, then back at the trail of fire Cynthia left behind. I've already seen how he plans to 'defeat' her, he thought dryly. He's going to keep being a punching bag until she gets tired.
"I will defeat her and become the strongest adventurer on Earth!" Carod declared, raising a dented gauntlet. His sidekicks immediately erupted into cheers. "Definitely, Captain! You'll be the strongest in the galaxy!"
Carod reached down and pressed a localized beacon on his wrist-watch. Suddenly, the clouds above the arena parted, and a massive, sleek Spaceship descended, its silver hull reflecting the dim light of Netland. Techyon looked up, his jaw dropping. He had seen high-rank monsters and god-tier magic, but he had never seen a vessel like this.
"What is this?" Techyon whispered. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"This is my spaceship, Techyon," Carod replied, a hint of pride returning to his voice. "The Northern Star. I'm going back to the orbital training grounds to work ten times harder. I won't stop until her flames can't touch me."
Techyon squinted at the ship. "Wait... what is your name exactly?"
"My name is Carod," the Commander replied, the ramp of the ship lowering. "But everyone calls me Captain. You can call me whatever you want, kid."
Techyon's eyes widened. "Wait... you're one of the Four Z-Elites, aren't you?"
"Obviously I am," Carod chuckled, though it turned into a cough.
"Then... do you know Yoru?"
The atmosphere changed instantly. Carod stopped mid-step, his mechanical eyes narrowing. "Yes... Yoru. The Super Warrior. Wait," he turned his full body toward Techyon, the sidekicks falling silent. "That means you know her? Is she your friend or something?"
"She is my friend," Techyon said simply.
Carod froze. His internal processors began to whir at high speed, cross-referencing the name 'Techyon,' the connection to Yoru, and the specific cyan-and-blue mana radiating from the boy in front of him. Suddenly, his visor flashed a bright, warning red.
"Wait..." Carod's voice dropped an octave, dripping with sudden realization. "That means... it was you! You were the one who defeated Gudmaro six months ago! You were that kid from the broadcast—the one glowing with pure white light and covered in a blue aura!"